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wareness that he was lying on something unexpectedly soft and there was a scent surrounding him。 He knew that scent； it had associations for him； a great many。 And an instant later； as full awareness returned； Blaise realized where he must be。 His eyes snapped open with the shock and he twisted his head around to see。 The movement made him immediately nauseated and he gasped with pain。
〃I do regret that；〃 a woman's voice said； 〃but I had to advise them you might not e willingly。〃
〃Why bother？〃 Blaise gasped。 He couldn't see her。 She was behind him。 It was only when he tried； with another painful effort； to turn his body that he realized that his limbs were bound。 He was on her bed； which explained the softness； and his hands and feet were tied to the four bedposts。 The never…forgotten scent of her perfume was all around him。 〃Why didn't you just have me killed in the street？〃
〃What？〃 said Lucianna Delonghi； moving at last into his field of vision。 〃And deprive myself of this pleasure？〃
He had not seen her for more than a year。 She was clad in silk so diaphanous she might as well have been naked to his sight。 The glitter of jewellery was all about her： a diadem in her hair； sapphires at each ear； diamonds and sea pearls around her throat。 There were rings on her long fingers； gold and silver or ivory at each wrist and one spectacular； memorable pendant suspended between her breasts； red like the fire crackling on the hearth。 She liked jewellery； he remembered； she liked fires in her rooms even when it wasn't cold； she liked cords and knots and toys in her bed。
His clothing and boots had been taken away； he was clad only in an undergarment that shielded his sex。 He tried again； without success； to move his hands and realized； with a kind of despair； that what he was feeling； as much as fury and the several layers of pain； was the returning of desire； inexorable as the tides of the sea。
She was so beautiful it caused a kind of constriction around his heart。 She was an incarnated vision from the legend of the paradise that waited for corans who died in battle。 His mouth was dry。 He looked at her； in her shining； long…limbed near…nakedness； and the memory of their love…making two summers ago； her body intertwined with his； legs wrapped high around him or straddling his waist as she rode above； her fingernails scoring his shoulders and arms； the eloquent； striving； backwards arch of her throat when she came to her culmination…it was with him again as if happening now； enveloping as the scent in the room。 He became aware； helplessly； that his excitement would be visible。 Lucianna； glancing downward； noted that。 She had never been slow to observe such things。 She looked away briefly； a small； satisfied smile curling about her lips。
〃How sweet；〃 she murmured； in the nuanced； husky voice。 She moved out of his sight for a moment and then came back。 〃And all along I thought you left because you were angry； because you had lost your desire for me。〃 She looked down upon him from the side of the bed。 〃I don't like it when men leave me； Blaise。 Did I never tell you that？〃 There was a knife in her fingers now； taken from the bedside table。 It too had gems in the hilt； rubies the colour of blood。 She began to play with it； moving towards the foot of the bed； biting her lower lip as if thinking of something； chasing a memory； and then idly stroking the blade； as if unaware that she was doing so； along the sole of his foot。 She twisted it suddenly and Blaise felt the point break the skin； drawing blood。 He had been waiting for that。
〃I left because you wanted me to； Lucianna。 Do not pretend anything else。〃 It was difficult to be coherent amid both the aftermath of the blow and the increasingly intense reality of desire。 Her scent was all around him； pushing clear thought even further away。 She continued to move about the bed； the curves and planes of her body lit by the fire's glow。 He said； 〃Had you wanted to hold me you know you could have done so。 I would not have been able to refuse； even after Engarro。〃
〃Ah；〃 she said； stopping now to look directly at him。 Her skin was pale； flawless； it was still a shock sometimes to realize how young she was。 〃But you would have wanted to refuse； wouldn't you； my dear？ You would have stayed only against your better judgment； tangled in my dark toils 。。。 is that not how it would have been； Blaise？〃
He swallowed with difficulty。 She was her father's daughter； the subtlest woman he had ever known。 She was also dancing the knife upwards now； along the inside of his thigh。 〃I need a drink； Lucianna；〃 he said。
〃I know what you need。 Answer my question。〃
Blaise turned his head away； and then back； to look her full in the eyes。 〃As it happens； you are wrong。 I was even more innocent than you knew。 Rudel tried to warn me…I didn't want to listen。 I thought； if you can believe it； that you were only the way you were because your father had forced you to be his tool； an instrument of policy。 I thought you could still love truly if you made a free choice； and I thought you might actually give that love to me。〃 He felt the bitterness beginning to e back； step by step； mingled； as ever； with desire。 〃I was even more a fool than I might have appeared。〃
It occurred to him； incongruously； even as he was speaking； that Ariane de Carenzu had said something very like this to him in a different bed in summer； about choices and the paths of love。 It also occurred to him； belatedly； that there was something more than a little absurd about this exchange； he had been brought here to die。 He wondered where her husband was。 Borsiard d'Andoria was probably waiting for her outside the city walls。 It had been the corans of Miraval who had brought him here； though； a strange union this one had turned out to be。 When one's enemies take counsel together； the proverb ran in Gorhaut； one wants the wings of a bird to fly； or the strength of lions to fight。 He had neither at the moment。 He was bound and helpless； head ringing like a temple bell； on Lucianna's bed。
〃Do what you want；〃 he said tiredly as she remained motionless； saying nothing。 Her dark eyes； shadings carefully applied above and below； were wide but unreadable。 The pupils were larger than they should have been。 She had taken her drugs； he realized。 They heightened her pleasures。 He wondered if she used them all the time now。 He wondered how any mortal woman could possibly be so beautiful。
He tried once more to swallow。 〃I would have thought the honour of your family； if nothing else； would preclude torturing a man who never did or meant you harm。〃 I sound like a lawyer making a plea； he thought sourly。 〃If you must kill me； for your own reasons or your husband's； then have done with it； Lucianna。〃 He closed his eyes again。
〃You really aren't in a position to make requests； are you； Blaise？〃 Her tone had sharpened。 〃Or to ment unpleasantly on either my father's or my husband's courses of action。〃 He felt the knife point in his thigh。 He refused to react。 He kept his eyes closed； it seemed to be his only option of denial。 That； and silence。 Once； in Mignano； she had known he was displeased about something she had said at a banquet。 Her woman had e to lead him to her chambers much later than usual that night。 When they arrived； he had seen why。 There had been easily a hundred candles of different shapes and sizes burning around the bed where Lucianna had lain； naked in the flicker and dance of all that light like an offering in some temple of dead and forgotten gods。 She had been bound； wrist and ankle； as he was now。 She had waited for the woman to leave that night and had said； 〃You are unhappy。 You have no cause to be。 Do with me as you will。〃 It had not been； he remembered noting even at the time； an apology。 She was not a woman who apologized。 Her body had glistened and shimmered with oil as she twisted slowly to left and right in the blaze of the candles； not smiling； her eyes enormous。 Blaise had stood above the bed； looking down upon her for a long time。 Slowly he had removed his own clothing as she lay bound beneath him in a dazzle of light； watching 。。。 and then he had untied all the knots that bound her before lowering himself to the bed。
Lucianna had laughed； he remembered。 He had thought then it might be from a certain kind of relief。 Now； living the moment again； he heard that laughter differently； as genuine amusement at his innocence： a war…trained Gorhaut coran in decadent Portezza； coupling with the least innocent woman in the world。 Young as she was； Lucianna seemed never to have been young。 The bitterness was in him again； there might always be that bitterness。 Bertran de Talair； he thought suddenly； had never managed to move past what had happened to him in love when he was young。
She was silent still。 Blaise kept his head averted； his eyes closed。 He felt the knife blade withdraw and a moment later heard Lucianna say； 〃I thought； back then 。。。 I remember thinking towards the end of that summer； before Engarro was killed 。。。 that I had met you too late。〃 An odd note in her voice。 But that was not what finally caused Blaise to open his eyes。 He had heard another sound； from the far end of the room； and felt the faintest thread of a draft across his skin。
When he looked up； Lucianna was turned away from him towards the door； and following her glance Blaise saw Quzman of Arimonda standing there； white teeth bared in a luxurious smile； a blade in his hand； long as a small sword。
Lucianna glanced over and down at Blaise for an instant； her eyes wide and black with the drug； then she turned her back on him entirely and moved towards the fire； leaving only empty space between Blaise and the Arimondan who had e to end his life。 It had indeed been corans of Miraval who had brought him here； the last piece of the puzzle fell into place。
〃Staked out like a horse thief；〃 said Quzman with relish。 〃Were this Arimonda I would have him in the desert beside a hive of blood ants； and I would pour honey myself over his private parts and eyes and leave him there。〃 Lucianna said nothing。 She was gazing into the depths of the fire。
〃How fortunate for me that this is not Arimonda；〃 said Blaise stonily。 He was not going to give this man any more satisfaction than the fact of his death would offer。 〃Land of cowards and incestuous catamites。〃
The Arimondan's smile never altered。 〃You are foolish；〃 he said。 〃You should not be goading me。 Not with your sex easy to my blade。 Your life ends here。 My brother's ghost is hungry for your shade in the afterworld and it is in my hands whether your passage to the god is easy or very hard。〃
〃No it isn't；〃 said Lucianna quietly； her back to both of them。 〃Do what you came to do； but quickly。〃
〃What I came to do？ I came for an execution；〃 said the Arimondan； the smile deepening。 〃And perhaps for some pleasure upon his body when he is dead。〃
〃You presume too greatly；〃 said Lucianna； still not turning from the fire。 Her voice was toneless； very low。 The Arimondan laughed and moved towards the bed。
〃A severe penalty it does seem；〃 said Blaise to Lucianna； dragging his eyes away from the man with the blade towards the woman who had taught him all he knew about certain dimensions of joy and pain； 〃for having met you too late。 I do hope this pleases your new husband； and perhaps even the next one。〃
She made a small sound； he thought it might be a kind of laugh。 He didn't have time to decide； though； because just then； as he turned back to face his death the way a man does； with dignity and an acceptance of the infinite； eternal power of the god； the door opened again and； with utter stupefaction； Blaise saw his brother's wife step into the room behind the Arimondan。
〃If you use that blade；〃 he heard Rosala announce in her crispest voice； 〃I swear by holy Corannos I will have you brought into the presence of the countess of Arbonne before this night is over； and I will not rest until you are both dealt with for breaching a truce with murder。〃
And then； with that spoken； as her own fierce inner momentum seemed to slow； all three of them staring at her； she registered for the first time…he actually saw it happen…who was lying on the be